Focus Taiwan
Date: 2019/03/30
By: Pan Tzu-yu and Lee Hsin-Yin

CNA file photo

Taipei, March 30 (CNA) Taiwan’s restrictions on imports of pork and beef from the United States remain a major barrier to trade between the two sides, according to a recently released U.S. report that highlights significant foreign barriers to American exports.

Taiwan has not followed international standards or a bilateral protocol with the U.S. on the issue of American meat imports, said the United States Trade Representative (USTR) report, which was released Friday.

While the U.S. and Taiwan agreed on a protocol in 2009 to expand market access and to fully reopen the Taiwan market to all U.S. beef and beef products, Taiwan flip-flopped on the agreement and amended its Food Sanitation Act the following year to ban imports of U.S. ground beef and other beef products, the report said.

“This amendment is contrary to Taiwan’s obligations under the 2009 beef protocol,” the report said.    [FULL  STORY]